HookedOnFishingBoats.com

One thing you’ve got to love about Pro-Lines: they give you the maximum bang for your buck. The 23 Sport is a perfect example. This boat is slick and clean inside and out with a finish that rivals much more expensive boats, it comes with an 18-gallon live, 30-gallon insulated fishboxes, a leaning post with four rocket launchers, a raw water washdown, and hydraulic steering—and with a 150-hp four-stroke on the back you can get it for around 40 grand. Many other rigs this size will cost closer to 60.

My test boat was rigged with a 250-hp Suzuki, which pushed us to 47.5-mph. And driving this boat is down-right fun—swing the wheel hard-over and the 20-degree deadrise hull carves into the water. Now look for a few waves, and use ‘em for ramps. Landings won’t hurt and nothing will break. When I tested the 23 it was actually quite rough outside of the protected harbor, with three to four foot seas washing every which way. The boat took it like a champ, though, and maintaining a cruise in the mid-20’s was perfectly reasonable.

There’s room for improvement on the 23 Sport: the console head access door is small and doesn’t secure open, and the throttle hits the leaning post when you open up the tilt-back helm. But remember: this is a relatively small boat, giving you a heck of a lot of LOA for the dollar. How does Pro-Line do it? Economy of scale is one cost-saver, and another is smart, time-saving construction methods. Check the stringers, for example. They’re pre-fabricated glass over foam, which can be taken out of the box and laminated right into the hull. Yet items like the cushion fabrics, pipework, and hardware are still above par. 40k? Yeah—you’ve gotta love that!

Pro-Line's web site is www.prolineboats.com.

LOA – 23’0”
Beam – 8’6”
Draft – 2’2”
Dry weight – 3,540
Fuel capacity – 125
Max. HP – 500
Price – About $40,000 depending on power choice.